Display rack for carpet samples or the like



Oct. 20, 1970 F. HOWARD 3,534,863

DISPLAY RACK FOR CARPET SAMPLES OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 28, 1967 INVENTOR f-ksoflol/mpo BY M i I l, 7 I a i if: 3 ZATTJORNEYS United States Patent 3,534,863 DISPLAY RACK FOR CARPET SAMPLES OR THE LIKE Fred Howard, New York, N.Y., assignor to Howard Dlsplays, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 694,304 Int. Cl. A47f 7/16 US. Cl. 211- 47 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A display rack in which the samples on display are carried on individual trays. The number of sample trays, as well as the angle at which they are positioned, may be varied as desired. The sample may be easily removed from the tray without removing the tray from the rack and yet may be fully examined as it rests in the sample tray.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to display racks and relates more particularly to certain new and improved constructional features in a display rack having particular utility in the displaying of carpet samples or the like.

Heretofore, carpet samples in the form of small rectangular swatches have only been displayed in permanent structures, usually built against a wall, having a permanent number of sample shelves located at a permanent angle. These structures are disadvantageous in their lack of flexibility for particular needs. Furthermore, it is difficult to remove a sample swatch from the shelves as the forward end directly abuts the retaining molding. This latter disadvantage is compounded by the further disadvantage that the backing of the sample cannot be examined without its being removed from the shelf.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display unit for displaying carpet samples or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved display rack, a plurality of which may be combined to form a display unit which may be easily assembled and has great flexibility in the number of display shelves and the angle at which they are disposed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a new and improved display rack, a sample holder or tray which permits the sample to be fully examined while in the display rack, and also permits the sample to be easily removed without removing the tray from the rack.

Objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in part herein and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention relates to a display rack for use in displaying carpet samples or the like. The rack advantageously includes a back panel and two side panels. The side panels have two vertical opposed grooves in which are slidably received standard members, each having a plurality of studs mounted thereon at uniformly spaced intervals. The carpet samples or the like are carried on individual sample trays, each tray being hooked over a pair of opposed studs of the rear standards and the forward portion rests upon opposed studs of 3,534,863 Patented Oct. 20, 1970 "ice the forward standards. In this manner, the number of sample trays may be varied to meet the desired requirements and, additionally, the angle at which the trays are disposed in the rack may be varied by resting the forward part of the tray on successively lower parts of opposed studs While the tray remains hooked to and in pivotable engagement position on a single pair of opposed rear studs.

The sample trays include an open cut-out in the forward portion thereof so that the sample carried by the tray extends across an open area. Thus, both the front and back of the sample may be examined without removal from the tray and, at the same time, the sample may be easily removed from the tray without removal of the tray from the rack.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a display unit formed of one or more display racks constructed in accordance with the invention, for displaying carpet samples or the like the right hand end of the display rack illustrating the employment of forward and rearward tie members (partly indicated);

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in top plan, taken along line 2--2 of FIG 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly sectional and partly inside elevation, taken along line 44 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in side elevation, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, there is shown a display unit 10 comprising one or more individual display racks 12, each being indicated only generally by these reference numerals, for displaymg carpet samples or the like. Advantageously, a single, integral back panel 14 extends the length of the unit.

It will be understood that the number of individual display racks 12 making up a particular unit 10 may vary as desired and that all display racks in the unit, but the outermost one at the right hand are identical. Accordingly, for ease of description only a single display rack 12 will be described hereinafter.

Each display rack 12 includes two upright side panels 16, having opposed vertical front and back grooves 17, 18, respectively, formed in each face thereof for slidably receiving standard rods 19, 19', respectively, on each of which studs 20 are mounted at uniformly spaced intervals. Advantageously, grooves 17, 18 are laterally recessed at their inner ends and rods 19, 19' are formed with a corresponding taper so that the rods are securely held within the grooves, although slidably movable therein in a vertical direction. Stop pins 22, 23 are located in grooves 17, 18 as desired for obtaining the preferred offset between the studs 20 of adjacent standards 19, 19', for purposes more fully described hereinafter.

The display sample holder of the invention is preferably in the form of a tray 25. A pair of hooks 26 may be suitably affixed to the bottom side of tray 25, as by rivets 27, along opposed edges at one end thereof. The

opposite end of tray 25 is provided with a rounded cutout 28 at its mid-portion and has channel-shaped retaining lips 29, suitably mounted on either side of the cut-out 28, as by rivets 30. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, retaining lips 29 extend upwardly from the forward edge of tray 25 a sufficient distance to accommodate the thickness of the sample carried in the tray.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the objects of the invention have been accomplished in the embodiment illustrated. Thus, a carpet sample S or the like is placed on tray 25 with one end thereof fitted beneath retaining lips 29 and the tray and sample may then be mounted in the display rack by hooking the edge hooks 26 over a pair of opposed studs 20 extending from opposed rear standards 19 and resting the forward end of the tray on a similar pair of studs 20 extending from opposed forward standards 19 (FIG. 3). It will be seen that the number and spacing of the studs 20 may be varied as desired to permit a large variation in the number of sample trays utilized in each display rack. To this end, several sets of standards 19, 19' may be prefabricated, each having differing numbers and spacings of studs 20, such that the angle and number of sample trays may be conveniently adjusted by a simple interchange of standards 19, 19'. Furthermore, the angle at which the sample trays are positioned in the rack may be varied as desired from the horizontal to, preferably, 50, although even greater angles could be achieved, if desirable, by resting the forward end of the tray on successively lower pairs of opposed studs from the level of opposed studs on which the rear of the tray is hooked.

The cut-out 28 in the tray 25 permits the carpet sample to be fully examined as to texture and quality, both in the carpet material and the backing, without removal from the tray. At the same time, the sample can be easily removed for further examination without removing the tray fromt he display rack by simply grasping that portion of the sample which extends across the cut-out section.

While it will be understood that the inventinon herein described is not limited to particular materials of construction, it has been found that certain materials may be advantageously incorporated therein. Thus, the channel-shaped retaining lips 29 may advantageously be formed of a clear plastic material so that no part of the sample is hidden from view. Also, standard members 19, 19 are advantageously molded from a suitable plastic material and studs 20 thereby formed integral therewith.

Also, in a modified construction, indicated in the right hand or outermost rack part of FIG. 1, standards 19 are formed with small bore holes at uniformly spaced intervals and tie-rods 20 may then be mounted in opposed bore holes 20" so as to extend across the width between adjacent facing side panel member (the right hand side or opposed panel member 16 having been omitted, upon which the sample trays would then be hooked and rested (only broken off parts of forward and rearward tie-rods 20 being depicted in FIG. 1). As a further modification, it will be understood that the bore holes 20" may be formed directly in the side panel members in opposed, spaced vertical rows and the forward and rearward support means, e.g. tie-rods 20' then extend therebetween. Likewise, the studs 20 may be mounted directly to the side panels.

In conclusion it will be seen that the invention is directed to a display unit or rack distinguished by a combination of several novel features in that the display rack has at least one pair of spaced, upright side panel members 16 having opposed faces, a plurality of trays 25 which have each an underface, a front part and a rear part, said trays being positionable in spaced-apart relation to each other and propped between said side panel members, a series of substantially equally spaced and super-positioned forward and rearward support means 20, 20 extending parallel to each other from said opposed faces of said panel members in crosswise direction thereto, each of said trays being provided at its underface and near the rear part thereof with hook means 26 each having a mouth opening toward said front part of each tray and linking each tray with a predetermined rearward support means upon horizontal sliding movement of eash tray along its underface and then upon slidable engagement between said open mouth of said hook means and said respective rearward support means thereby to prop said tray in firm, but pivotable engagement position on and about said respective rearward support means. The front part of each tray is constructed to rest freely on a respective selected forward support means 20, 20 to effectuate at will any definite location and engagement of each tray at preselected angle to said forward and rearward support means, the hook means on said tray underfaces being disengageable by horizontal sliding movement against the open mouths of said hook means from their engagement positions for removal therefrom by operating said trays from their front parts in the direction toward their respective rearward support means and subsequently dislodge said trays from the latter.

The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention andwithout sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A display rack for displaying carpet samples or the like, comprising in combination:

a pair of opposed upright side panel members positioned in parallel, spaced relationship to one another;

vertically extending forward and rearward pairs of standard members supported by and displaceable relative to each of said panel members;

respective projecting means extending from said forward and said rearward pairs of standard members and located between opposed faces of said panel members; and

a plurality of trays for displaying carpet samples or the like and provided with coupling means for connecting said trays with a predetermined number of said rojecting means of said rearward pair of standard members and for removal therefrom;

a preselected number of projecting means of said forward pair of standard members freely engaging said trays extending from said rearward pairs of standard members and supporting said trays at a location remote from said coupling means, thereby to angularly position said trays to each other.

2. A display rack for displaying carpet samples or the like, comprising:

a pair of opposed side panel members positioned in parallel, spaced relationship to one another;

each of said panel members including a pair of spaced,

vertically adjustable standard members,

the standard members of one of said panel members being in opposed alignment with the standard members of the other panel member and each of said standard members having a plurality of projection means extending therefrom in a direction inwardly of said side panel members at uniformly spaced intervals, the projection means on opposed standard members being in horizontal alignment; and

a plurality of sample trays for displaying said carpet samples or the like each removably pivotally connected to a pair of said horizontally aligned, opposed projection means of one pair of opposed standard members andfreely resting on another pair of said horizontally aligned, opposed projection means of the other pair of opposed standard members.

i 3. A display rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said sample trays rests on a pair of opposed projection means at a lower horizontal level than the pair of opposed projection means to which the tray is removably pivotally connected.

4. A display rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said standard members is slidably received within a groove formed in the side panel member.

5. A display rack as claimed in claim 4, wherein the vertical position of each of said standard members is located by a stop-pin in the respective groove, and adjacent standard members are positioned so as to be vertically offset from one another.

6. A display rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said sample trays includes:

hook means for removably pivotally connecting one end of said tray to said one pair of horizontally aligned, opposed projection means of one pair of opposed standard members, the opposite end of said tray free- 1y resting on said another pair of horizontally aligned, opposed projection means of said other pair of opposed standard members,

an open, cut-out section in said opposite end adapted to be covered by the sample carried on said tray, and retaining means on said opposite end for holding said sample on said tray.

7. A display rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein said standard members are formed from a plastic material and said projection means comprise studs molded integral with said standard members.

8. A display rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein said projection means comprise tie-rods extending between opposed pairs of standard members.

9. A display rack for exhibiting carpet samples and like flat articles, characterized by a pair of spaced, upright side panel members having opposed faces, a plurality of trays, which have each an underface, a front part and a rear part, said trays being positionable in spaced-apart relation to each other and propped between said side panel members, a series of substantially equally spaced and superpositioned forward and rearward support means extending parallel to each other from said opposed faces of said panel members therebetween and in crosswise direction thereto in uniformly spaced intervals, each of said trays being provided at its underface and near the rear part thereof with hook means, each of said hook means having a mouth opening toward said front part of each tray, said hook means linking each tray with a predetermined rearward support means upon horizontal sliding movement of each tray along its underface and then upon slidable engagement between said open mouth of said hook means and a respective rearward support means thereby to prop said tray in firm, but pivotable engagement position on and about said respective rearward support means, the front part of each tray being constructed to rest freely on a respective selected forward support means upon said engagement of the tray with said respective forward support means, by operating from the front part of said tray, thereby to effectuate at will any definite location and engagement of each tray at preselected angle to said forward and rearward support means, the hook means on said tray underfaces being disengageable by horizontal sliding movement against the open mouths of said hook means from their engagement positions for removal therefrom by operating said trays from their front parts in the direction toward their respective rearward support means and subsequently dislodge said trays from the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,143 12/1932 Bales 211-126 3,044,631 7/1962 Greenman et al. 108-110 X 3,100,460 8/1963 McElroy 211-148 X 3,126,101 3/1964 Katterjohn 211-133 X 3,295,695 1/ 1967 Carmstrom 21 1--148 3,341,027 9/1967 Mackin et al 211-148 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,224,894 9/ 1966 Germany.

628,915 9/ 1949 Great Britain.

572,015 1/1958 Italy.

DAVID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner 

